The present invention relates generally to education and more particularly to using rewards to enrich the learning process in a computer-aided-educational system.
For centuries, learning has been treated as a reward in itself The reward is as much in the effort as in the result. That is why when an innocent lad asked an ancient philosopher what was the use of his teaching, the ancient philosopher gave that lad a penny and asked him to leave. However, in the present days, typically learning is considered as an investment. A students decision to attend a University is at least partially influenced by the prospect of getting a better job with the University degree. Similarly, a University is ranked higher if most of her graduates have successful careers.
The shift in focus in education increases the emphasis on rewards in the education. Rewards come in different forms. One type of rewards revolves around education itself This includes getting recognition through receiving a better grade, accepting a coupon to buy books, getting a scholarship to pay for tuition and receiving an internship in the industry. Another form of rewards is not related to education. This includes parents paying five dollars if their child gets an A, and a father quitting the habit of smoking if his daughter graduates from high school. Typically, these non-educational-related rewards are closely monitored and provided by either the student's close relatives, guardians or teachers. As long as the above rewards are appropriately applied, all of them can enrich the learning process. They can make learning more fun and interesting for the student. Moreover, rewards can encourage the student to work harder and to perform better. Finally, rewards can indirectly increase the student's competitiveness because students can compare with other students what they have achieved or what rewards they have received.
The proliferation of computer has led to a number of computer-aided approaches to education. Rewards in a computer environment have another added advantage. As compared to an instructor taking days to grade a student's homework, a computer-aided-educational system can reward the student in a more immediate manner. This will enhance the learning experience. While the problem and the student's approach to resolve the problem are still very fresh in the students mind, a computer can provide the solution and a reward to the student. This should help the student to better retain what he has learnt.
Prior art computer-aided-educational systems typically do not incorporate rewards to enrich the learning process. There are a number of exceptions. Unfortunately, those exceptions have a number of shortcomings. For example, they do not allow an instructor, such as the student's parents, guardian or teacher, to set when and what to reward the student. Allowing the instructor to set when and what to reward a student is very important. First, the instructor is more aware of the strengths, weaknesses and preferences of the student, and should be able to set more appropriate goals and rewards for the student. Second, if the instructor can set when and what to award the student, the instructor is directly in control of the student's learning progress.
Those exceptions also do not allow the student to postpone receiving rewards. The concept of postponed gratification is very important in any educational system. If education is treated as an investment, which can be defined as putting money or effort in certain areas for future rewards, computer-aided-educational system should reinforce the concept of postponed gratification.
Finally, those exceptions do not provide a report on the history of the students learning process. Without such a report, it is very difficult for the instructor to monitor the student's progress. To find out about the student's progress, the instructor can watch the student as the student is working on the assignment, and then recall the student's past performance to identify his progress. However, this defeats one of the purposes of using a computer to teach a student because if the instructor is constantly watching, why not let the instructor teach the student instead. Moreover, the student may be working on many areas. It would become a complex task to clearly identify the history of the student's progress in different areas, especially when one instructor may not be knowledgeable enough to cover many areas. Another way to identify the student's progress is to ask the student. But this is not the best approach because it is difficult for the student to correctly and objectively report on his own progress.
It should be apparent from the foregoing that there is still a need for a computer-aided-educational system and method to enrich a student's learning process through rewards. The system should be able to allow instructors to set when and what to reward the student. The system should also be able to allow the student to postpone receiving a reward, and to allow the instructors to more easily monitor the student's progress.